They Look Like Strong Hands
by xthesebonesx
Summary: Set after- 3x09. Klaus reflects on his obsessive feelings for a certain blonde vampire, and is thrown when he realizes just how jealous he is of Tyler Lockwood. Can an unlikely visitor change things, just when he's thought he's lost it all? One Shot.


**Another Klaroline one shot, yay! Set after 3x09, and mostly from Klaus' thoughts/position, for a change. Read and review!**

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><p><strong>They Look Like <strong>Strong Hands<strong>**

_Tyler's pretty little girlfriend._

He knew exactly what he said, when he said it, and he hoped that the words weren't lost on him.

He wanted Tyler to know- he wanted Tyler to know that he thought Caroline was pretty. He wanted Tyler to know that he was lucky- lucky to have such a _smashing _girlfriend.

Even luckier to still be alive.

He envied the young hybrid in more ways than one. True, Klaus was more powerful, had more followers, and was damn near _invincible, _but he was still alone. Tyler, on the other hand, wasn't. Tyler had it all.

He had a mom, he had his friends, he had _her- _the pretty little blonde, with the picture perfect smile, and the feisty yet refreshing flair.

She was the definition of beauty.

And Klaus waited, thousands of years in fact, for someone like her, but she never came.

Instead, he endured the flagrant advances of _millions _of women he never wanted, and the undoubtful deceit of one another- Katerina Petrova.

He had everything he could superficially want- wealth, power, status- but he never had that; he never had _true love. _

And it made him bitter. He was bitter, because for centuries, he did nothing but occupy himself with the idea that he'd find a lover- one so true, loyal, and commanding, that he could rule the world with her, and take on whatever supernatural armies came their way.

Mikael, and the other Originals- they would be no match for him and his _Queen. _

She would keep him sane- keep him levelheaded in times of war, and warm in times of peace. She would be the one to change him from this bitter being that he had become.

_She would restore him to the humble, honest, and loving man he once was. Love would change him._

But alas, it never came. He never found a "Queen;" he never even found anyone worthy of being a mere _distraction. _He failed- and he was still bitter.

That made him angry- angrier than he was with Katerina for ruining his chances at breaking the curse the first time. Angrier than he was with his father for belittling him, and treating him like a fool. Angrier than he could ever be in his entire life- he was angry, and he still had nothing to show for it.

He could break the hybrid curse that Esther set on him a million times, and he still wouldn't have it all- he still wouldn't have _love._

And that was why he hated Tyler.

Tyler- this seventeen year old nuisance that he sired into a hybrid; eager to please him, desperate to be important- Klaus could not _stand _him.

_It was the one time that he actually hoped the transition from simple werewolf to hybrid failed, and it didn't._

Curse Tyler, and all his stupid little friends.

Klaus was not impressed by him. Sure, the kid protected him, obeyed him, and damn near leapt with excitement when Klaus told him to _jump, _but he did not want that kind of companionship.

He wanted the blonde; Tyler's brilliant and beautiful girlfriend- he was captivated by her. From the way she curled her hair, to the way she wrinkled her nose- he was borderline obsessed.

He often considered thanking Damon Salvatore for saving her from the sacrifice, because had he actually killed her in his fit of rage, he would have never forgiven himself.

_But then he remembered how much he hated Damon Salvatore- it was still not as much as the Lockwood boy._

Klaus inhaled a deep breath as he stood in front of the Lockwood estate. He stood far away, in the sheild of the trees just watching- waiting for her to come out. He'd followed her here, an hour ago, and he wasn't sure if he regretted it yet.

His mind got the best of him while he waited outside- waited to catch a glimpse of her, maybe talk to her, if he were brave. His mind told him that this was stupid- that she was just a _baby, _and he should let whatever _obsession _he had with her go. It told him she thought he was a monster- the bad guy, who ruined her life, and needed to pay for the injustice he inflicted upon her friends.

His mind told him that he'd never be capable of being loved- especially not by someone as stunning as her.

He believed it- he always did.

But he couldn't stop himself, anyway. He couldn't stop himself from feeling the way that he did. He couldn't stop himself from being envious of his sire, or any other man who had gotten the pleasure of touching her- even knowing her. He couldn't stop himself from being completely crazy- so crazy to the point where he actually believed a woman like her would even conversate with a _beast _like him.

It was truthfully why he'd never said a word directly to her- he was nervous that the cheerleader would cut him to pieces.

_Imagine that? He was afraid of a cheerleader._

For the first time in his life, he believed _he _wasn't the one who was worthy enough to recieve a beautiful woman's love.

He couldn't fufill Caroline's shallow desires- he couldn't be Prom King, or captain of the football team. He couldn't help her decorate for the big dance, or meet-up after class. He couldn't do ridiculous things like be her study parter, and he couldn't do stupid things like take her to the Grill for milkshakes.

_That wasn't who he was- he couldn't be who her young heart deserved._

He could only bring her pain, turmoil, and hurt. He wasn't Tyler- and he wouldn't pretend to be.

Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

_"I don't know what you want me to do, Tyler!" she yelled, as she walked out onto his front porch, blonde curls tied into a tight ponytail, and her hands at her sides. "What the hell am I supposed to do?"_

_"You're supposed to be there for me, Caroline! You're supposed to stick by my side, no matter what," Tyler informed, and she scoffed._

_"I came here to apologize for the way things ended, Tyler. I wasn't asking to get back together."_

_"And why not, Caroline?"_

_"Because you're different! You're not the guy that I remember getting into a relationship with," she said and Tyler shrugged._

_"I know, that's because I'm better- I'm better than what I was."_

Klaus rolled his eyes- this kid was so fucking smug.

_"Okay, Tyler, better to you- but not better to me. And... that's why I have to go... I can't do this anymore," Caroline said strongly, and Tyler grabbed her hand._

_"Caroline, you can't be serious."_

_She ripped her hand out of his._

_"I am, Tyler. I mean it- this... it's over," she said in a small voice, and Tyler stood there, plainly. "I'll bring your stuff over tomorrow," she promised, and he scoffed._

_"Don't bother, Caroline. Just go, go run back to Matt like you always do. At least you won't surprise me," he said, and her eyes widened._

_"Tyler- I'm not gonna do that-"_

_"What you do doesn't concern me, Caroline. You're pretty much dead to me. I guess that's not so bad considering you're not really alive in the first place," he said, before he walked inside, and slammed the door in her face._

Klaus watched as she stood there silently, gathering her thoughts and fighting her tears that were on the verge of breaking freely through her lids.

She inhaled a long breath, and exhaled it just as deeply as she slowly walked down the steps, shaking her head in disbelief.

Klaus was angry, again.

How could Tyler have someone like her and completely blow it the way that he did? The way he talked to her-_demanded _things from her- it was sickening. She knew she deserved better- she deserved more than some fucked-up sire with an attitude problem, and no desire to do anything about it.

All she really wanted was for him to _do something_- show that he wanted to be something more than just some sire. But he wouldn't- Tyler was far too arrogant to do that.

"Hello?" Caroline called delicately, in that perfect pitch that captivated him more than it should have, as she neared the hidden trees that only stood illuminated by the fresh moon. "Is somebody in there?" she asked, stepping closer, and he froze.

Her golden hair shone beneath the light, and her pale skin looked polished and like porcelain as she stepped closer.

What was he to do? Reveal himself, and run the risk of scaring her off? Or quietly slip into the forest until she left, so he could appropriately exit?

He may have been shy and doubtful when it came to Caroline, but he was also a fucking Original.

Of course he would reveal himself.

_And so he did._

When the hybrid stepped out of the trees, she let out a mini yelp, and attempted to escape the opposite way. He was faster, naturally, as he appeared before her again, in less than a second.

"Caroline, love, what are you doing out so late? I imagine it's a school night," he smirked, and the blonde gulped as she stared at him alarmingly.

"Klaus- what are you... hi," she settled for, in a light but nervous chirp, and he laughed.

_At least he made her nervous-he wasn't a complete bitch just yet._

"Now, now, don't be afraid. I haven't come to harm you," he reassured, and she sighed though she still stared at him skeptically, while she placed her arms across her chest.

He watched as her smooth lips pursed, and her perfectly shaped eyebrow slightly rose.

"So, why are you here?" she asked, a mixture of curiousity and thinly veiled abrasiveness in her voice.

It wasn't like he expected her to welcome him with open arms, anyway. Especially after she just dumped her boyfriend because of him.

He ran his fingertips through his honey blonde hair, and narrowed his icy blue eyes as he began to think of an appropriate response.

_Why was he here, anyway? Was it for nothing more than stalking Caroline Forbes?_

"For Rebekah," he said plainly, and he noticed the blankness on Caroline's face. "I reckoned my hybrid would know where she is, since she's not answering her cell. She does like him the best, afterall," he remarked, and he watched as her blank expression slowly turned into a solemn one.

He knew it was a dirty move- bringing up his sister, who he was sure Caroline detested, and Tyler was infactuated with. But it had to be done- he had to drive the final stake into their failed relationship, by any means possible.

"Well, I don't know where Rebekah is," she said tightly, attempting to walk past him, but he stopped her with his hand.

"Well, does Tyler know? You two tell each other everything, don't you?" he asked casually, and Caroline let out an exhale.

"No, Klaus, we don't. Besides, why do you care? Ever since you made him all weird, his allegiance has been more to you, and less to me," she said knowingly.

"As it should be, darling," he replied and she rolled her eyes.

"Are we done? I don't know where Rebekah is- I can't help you with anything. I wont, rather," she said tiredly, and he cocked his head.

"Well, you can still help me out with something," he said and she continued looking at him.

"And what's that?" she asked, and Klaus stuffed his hands into his pockets. "And no, I don't want to hunt down a pack of werewolves and play something freaky like 'Truth or Wolfsbane.'"

He grinned.

"Stefan told you about that, eh? T'was quite the game," he winked, and she rolled her eyes before she looked back into his.

Her clear blue eyes shone as she stared into his, never backing down from his glare. It made him nervous- this seventeen year old _vampire _made him nervous.

Maybe because he knew that if you were unable to be loved by Caroline, you were unable to be loved by _ anyone._

She gave people chances that she shouldn't have- she understood when she should have turned the other cheek. She cared when no one else did- she was the type of girl who loved you, flaws and all, as long as you sincerely loved her, back.

Tyler didn't love her. Tyler loved not turning on the full moon. Tyler loved parties. Tyler loved sex- but he didn't love Caroline; not in the way that she deserved to be loved.

"Surely you know your friend Stefan Salvatore has disappeared, with the bodies of the rest of my family," he said, and Caroline silently tightened her arms over her chest. "Any idea where he is, love?"

"No, actually, I don't have any idea where he is. And even if I did... why would I tell you?" she asked.

"You're right, Caroline. It is silly of me to expect you to go against your friends. You're one, big, bloody family, afterall."

"I'm also not an idiot," she spoke up, and he slowly took a few strides before her.

"No, I suppose you're not. But you are honest, though," he stated, and she stood their silently. "You're a lot more blunt than they are-a bit more practical when it comes to the truth," he said, and she continued staring at him. "So tell me, Caroline- what do you think of me?" Klaus asked.

It was as the question caught her off guard. She just stood there, silently, tapping her foot on the ground, with furrowed eyebrows appearing across her small face.

"You're kidding, right?" she said, as she almost laughed in disbelief, but when his expression didn't budge, she cleared her throat. "Klaus, I don't-"

"You do, Caroline. You know exactly what you think of me- so go on, spill it," he said.

She sighed, and placed her hands on the hips of her delicate frame.

"I honestly don't know, Klaus. I don't know what to think of you," she began, and he stared at her quietly. "I see... what you do- the terrible things you do to people, and I see a monster. I see someone who has this... rage built up inside of them, maybe because he's hurt, but nevertheless, it's still there and- and all he wants is to watch everybody hurt; see everybody bleed," she said, and Klaus remained stoic. "But then... then another part of me wants to believe that that's not it- it wants to believe that you are the way you are because of circumstance, not because you chose to be. I see someone who's forced to think that power is their only friend, their only companion- and they can never be without it. Because if you didn't have power- would you really have anything?" she asked honestly.

She read him like a book.

Klaus looked down at the ground, then back into her questioning blue eyes that never stopped staring at him- he wondered if that were an involuntary thing.

"Thank you for your time, Ms. Forbes, but I have to go," he said quickly, as he turned around to head for the forest, but she unexpectingly grabbed his arm.

He wasn't going to answer that.

"Is it true?" she asked in a tiny voice.

Of course it were true- he was a lonely hybrid with a lust for power because he had no true love, and no family he could ever rely on. He was a monster because he wanted others to suffer in the way that he suffered. He wasn't, by any means, born this way- but with the absent love from his mother, the hatred from his "father" and the supernatural changes within him, he _became _this way- harsh, cold, sadistic, and misunderstood.

But what did that make him in Caroline's eyes? A detached product of his environment, or a pathetic, weakened man, with no control over himself?

He didn't have the heart to ask.

"I must get going,"he said, quickly changing the subject. "If I am going to find your little friend and the rest of my family, I must get a move on," Klaus replied, as he spun around, and quickly walked away- leaving Caroline equally stunned, and confused.

_And why did she feel so bad for him?_

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><p>"What the hell are you doing here?" Klaus asked, as he opened the door to his hotel room, and she walked past him, without an invitation, without any words.<p>

He stood there, stunned, as he watched the blonde march right into his room, with her hands on her hips, head held high, and not a nervous bone in her body.

Two weeks- that's how long it had been since he _followed _her around-followed her to the Lockwood estate, where he watched her fight with Tyler, and then he endured the most humiliating moment of his life- _that moment when he let Caroline see who he really was. _

Even worse, he asked her opinion on it.

So now, after she knew he was weak, pathetic, monstrous, and lonely- why was she here? Better yet, _how? _

"You know," she began lightly,"For a hybrid who's been on the run for thousands of years, constantly in hiding and whatnot- you were surprisingly easy to find," Caroline said, and his eyes narrowed. "Are you drunk? Smells like a full bar in here."

He shut the door, and stared at her seriously, but curious, all the same.

She looked exactly as he remembered- her perfect blonde curls, her full pink lips, and her smooth, porcelain skin. She was still Caroline, and she was still perfect.

And she smelled in even better- like pomegranates, with a hint of vanilla.

He was mad at her. Why, of all people, was she seeking him? How could she have thought it be appropriate to go out searching for somebody like him? Was she out of her mind?

"What are you doing here?" he repeated, with glowing eyes, and Caroline shrugged. "Miss Forbes, I swear to you, if this is a trap-"

"It's not a trap," she blurted, and Klaus waited for her to continue. "I-I don't know why I'm here," she said honestly, and he remained silent as she began pacing in front of him. "The last time we talked-the first time-I just..." she trailed off, and he cocked his head.

"You just what? Desired the company of a sadistic being who could destroy you? I think you're mad for just being here right now."

"No, Klaus, that's not it-"

"Then spit it out, love. Why the hell would you come here? Are you not afraid of what I could do to you?" he asked, with menacing eyes, and Caroline backed up.

"You're right- this was a stupid idea. I'm just gonna-" she began, and Klaus cut her off when he raced in front of her, and she caught her breath.

"I need to know why you're here," he said calmly, and she toyed with the ring on her finger for a few seconds before she looked up at him. "I need to know why you would so recklessly endanger yourself," Klaus said.

She inhaled gently, never dropping her gaze, and she took his hand into hers.

It was cold, as she wrapped her fingers around his, and she instantly noticed as he tightened up- Caroline didn't let go.

"I came for you, Klaus," she admitted, and he squinted at her as he tried to register the words-_she came for him? _"I just... when we talked, I felt something," she said and his eyes remained dead set on hers as she looked into his. "Something I haven't felt in a very long time."

Klaus scoffed as he took his hand out of hers, and shook his head.

_No. Perfect people like her didn't "feel things" for broken people like him, unless it was pity. She must have pitied him- he couldn't stand for that._

"I'm not all those things that you think I am," he lied, and Caroline frowned slightly. "I'm not hurt or sad. I'm just... somebody who likes to get their way. And I'll do anything- I will destroy anything," he let out, in the most confident voice he could muster.

She saw right through it.

"You're not a good liar," she piped up, and he felt the swelling of his anger growing in his chest as the words passed her lips. "You are everything that I think you are, Klaus."

He suddenly grabbed her by the neck, and slammed her against the wall in front of him, gripping tightly around her skin as she slowly gasped for air.

He could not have her pity him.

"You do not know a thing about me!" he shouted, as she stared back at him, as she trembled beneath his touch. "You know nothing- nobody does," he said strongly, and Klaus suddenly dropped her, leaving her gasping at her knees for air. "Go," he ordered.

She looked up at him, pure determination in her blue eyes and she shook her head.

_No._

Caroline stood to her feet and stared at him. She wasn't backing down, like he had hoped. Her presence was only mocking him.

"I know, Klaus. I know that there is something else to all of this. I know that you aren't as cold-blooded or conniving as you think you are."

"I killed your boyfriend, and turned him into something vile- I killed your best friend-and I've nearly killed everyone else-"

"Because you're afraid!" she yelled back.

He attempted to grab her again, but Caroline got her hands on him first, as she gripped onto his shirt, and pressed him against the wall roughly.

He didn't attempt to fight back.

"Do not speak as if you know me," he said lowly and she pressed her fingers harder into his chest.

"I get it," she started, and Klaus stared at her silently. "You're a big bad Original hybrid, and you think that you can intimidate me- you think that you can make me leave because you've slammed me against your wall-"

"I can rip your heart out."

"Fine, you can be all morbid and creepy too. But are you happy, Klaus? Are you happy with being so feared?" she questioned.

"I could break your arms right now, little girl."

"But you won't... you can't," she said and he stared at her silently. "I'm calling your bluff, Klaus."

_She _was calling _his _bluff?

"Do you know how absurd that makes you sound, Caroline? I am going to ask you to leave, now, before there are dire consequences-"

"Like what?" she challenged. "If you were going to kill me, you would have already. You're not going to do anything to me," she replied.

"How can you be so sure?" he asked, and she slowly released the grip that she had on his shirt, and looked straight into his eyes.

"Because you wouldn't kill somebody that you need."

Klaus scoffed and shook his head, as he let out an astonished laugh.

"I've been alive for centuries, Caroline. What makes you think I would ever need somebody as _feeble _as you?"

"Because as 'feeble' as I am, Klaus... I was the first one to give you hope."

The Original stood there silently as she never backed down- never dropping her stare, or inching away from him.

If anything, she moved in closer.

Caroline placed a hand on his cheek, and felt the scruff of his beard against her skin as they stood there quietly, while he evaluated her words.

"Compel me to forget you, because that's the only way I'll give up," she said, and he still stood there, paralyzed by her touch. "But I know it's not what you want."

It wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want her to forget him- he didn't want to force this moment out of his memory, either. He wanted to keep it- to save it, for as long as he could. He wanted to treasure the sweet touch of her fingertips, and the harsh reality that spilled from her lips.

He wanted to believe that somebody didn't want to give up on him.

"There is no saving me, Caroline. I am not somebody who can be fixed," he said, painfully. Painfully because he _wanted _to be fixed. "I need you to leave. Now," he emphasized, as he walked passed her, and she grabbed his hand roughly, and drew him back in towards her.

The scent of pomegranate and vanilla overwhelmed him.

"And I'm not somebody who can be bossed around," she declared. "So, we're at a standstill. What do we do about that?"

He knew what he wanted to do.

He wanted to throw her out for being so stubborn, and so righteous. He wanted to compel her into being less courageous, and more wary. He wanted to kill her to save her the time that she would waste on him- save her the time she was already wasting.

But he didn't- he didn't do anything. It were as if she rendered him powerless with her words- as if she'd left him with nothing.

She took his face into her hands and looked up at him, imagining the beating of his heartbeat, and the faint sound of his breathing, if he were still subjected to that.

Imagining what it would be like for him to _feel _was enough to convince her that this was right.

Caroline placed her soft lips to his, and Klaus stood there motionless, as she kissed him- over and over again, waiting for a reaction- waiting for anything. She thought he tasted of alcohol and peppermint as her mouth brushed his; he thought she tasted like candy.

She ran her fingers through his sandy waves, and slowly moved her mouth along his, waiting for him to comply- waiting for him to break down his walls.

"Kiss me back," she urged, in a gentle whisper against his lips, and he froze.

"I can't- I won't allow it," he whispered back, but she nodded softly, and he slowly felt himself giving in.

Her lips felt like fire pressed against his own, and he half-regretted it when he lifted a hand to her curls, and caressed them.

_He'd never knew how to be so sweet._

Caroline hung onto him tighter, as she deepened the kiss, and he felt the slither of her tongue against his. She kissed him stronger, he kissed her faster, she kissed him harder, he kissed her longer.

She pushed him backwards, never seperating her lips all the while, and he landed on his bed, with her thin frame on top of him.

Her hands landed on his chest, and her mouth moved to his neck, planting a number of kisses anywhere she could.

"Please, don't give up on yourself," she whispered.

He didn't want to- not as long as she was near.

Klaus flipped her beneath him, and grabbed her by the hips. His tongue ran along her shoulder, and she arched her back in pleasure. His kissed her chest, and she gripped onto his locks.

"Don't stop," she whimpered, and he covered her mouth with his own.

_He wasn't planning on it._

He didn't remember the last time he felt this way- he could barely recall ever having such an urgency, such a _lust _like this for anyone.

As Caroline's fingers danced up his shirt, and his hands grabbed anywhere they could, he never recalled feeling more _alive._

She pulled his arms through the fabric, and tossed the shirt to the ground. Her nails scraped against his chest, and he buried his lips against her ear.

He wanted this- he wanted to feel, and he wanted it _now._

Caroline moaned when he furiously unbuttoned her jeans, and yanked them off of her legs, tossing them wherever they landed. She licked his lips one last time before he placed them to her skin- starting at her stomach, and only going lower and lower. She twirled his locks through her fingers, and trembled when he kissed her thigh- she felt his fangs dance along her skin.

She barely had warning when the goosebumps on her skin rose, and she felt him give that starting push for her.

_They hadn't even bothered to take off all of their clothing._

The sense of urgency she felt when she wrapped her legs around his waist was like none other- it only made sense that the one being who was all wrong for her in so many ways felt so right.

Her shirt hung loosely off of her shoulder, and he spent no time ripping it off of her.

She honestly shuddered.

She didn't regret coming here. She didn't regret breaking him. She didn't regret the way she was feeling, and the way they were expressing it.

And she'd do it again, in a heartbeat. Without a doubt.

Klaus ran his fingers through her hair and looked down at her- the most beautiful woman he had ever known, inside and out.

"Are you going to tell Tyler you fell for the 'bad guy?'" he asked, and she shook her head slowly as she looked deep into his eyes.

"No," she answered. "I'll tell him I fell for the right one."


End file.
